C i4<i 3 
11. A Letter from Mr Anthony van Leuwenhoek, 
concerning the Seeds of Oranges^ dec* 
Delft in HcUand^ the 6th of Feb. 1703- 
I Have formerly, according to my fmall capacity, abun- 
dantly demonftrated, that almoftall Seeds are only made 
for the nouriftiraent of the young Plant within them (which 
is a fmall Particle of the Seed, as little as it appears to our 
Eyes; till it be able to fpring forth from the Earth 5 but 
forafmuch as I lately met with the Seed or Kernel of an 
Orange, in the middle of which, to my great furprize, I 
found another compleat Seed 5 I have taken the liberty to 
fend to yon ray Obfervations about the faid Kerne!, and 
the growth of ir. 
I have ievera! times open'd the Kernels of Oranges and 
Limcns, and often found that what we call a Stone, Ker--. 
nel or Seed, is improperly fo call'd, and that when we 
have ftript it cf Skin or Membrane, we (hall frequently 
find that two Seeds are inclos'd in that Membrane, 
to wit, under the Skin, and without fide of the Ker- 
nel there is a fmall Seed, the like of which has not oc- 
curr d to me in other forts of Seeds. 
'Tis true, you fhall often find in Hazel, nuts, Almonds, 
Peach and Apircock Kernels, a double Seed or Kernel, but 
then each of them is inclos'd in a double Membrane, that 
have no communication with one snother but in a bare 
firaple contafl:, but have each of them a diftinft Stalk or 
String, by wliich confequently they receive their proper 
nouriftiment. 
Rrrrrrrr In 
